THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 21, 1994 TAG: 9408190216
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 54 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
At the July 18 meeting of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, an administrative order was adopted stating all requests for access to public record be made in writing to the county manager. A charge of 30 cents per page was imposed to defray any cost for copies.
This order was said to be adopted due to ``an increasing demand for the inspection of these records, to prevent undue interference of operations and as well as for the safety of said records.''
I have a problem understanding why our county officials can take the liberty of sending flowers to choice individuals and pay for these with taxpayers' dollars, then turn around and charge these same taxpayers for public information. This appears to be double jeopardy.
As for the charge for copies of records, we should pay if it will keep our county costs down. It will be interesting to see, in the course of the next year, how much income is derived from these costs and to compare this with reimbursements from other expenditures which seem to be of a frivolous nature.
These records are public information and, as long as I can remember, one could go directly to any department and be made to feel quite welcome.
Shirley Hassell
Manns Harbor
Democratic Candidate
for Board of Commissioners by CNB